Here's a rare one indeed! A one-of-a-kind Rickenbacker Hamburg 230 in Black Star finish made circa 1986 for Jim Babjak of the legendary Smithereens! Jim played this guitar on Saturday Night Live, 04/14/1990, on the song "Blues Before and After." It can also be seen in the video for The Smithereens' "Yesterday Girl." And was also used on The Smithereens' 1989 European tour.

The guitar is all original and powered by two unique Rickenbacker pickups made for this model, and measure a powerful 12 ohms each. The guitar plays great: the bolt-on neck is straight with low, easy action and minimal fret wear. The nut width is 1 5/8," the scale length is 25", and it weighs a comfortable 7.9 lbs.

This is from the 1984 Rickenbacker 200 series catalog:
"Active control circuitry abounds today and the 200 Series is no exception...with one trememdous difference. There is no battery. No transistors. And no integrated circuits. Nothing to polute the precisely obtained audio signal and nothing to fail during performance. A hybrid combination of traditional subtractive elements, along with a revolutionary additive design uses the excess power generated by the pickup to create something like magic. Just picture a guitar that ranges from punchy Country twang, to bell-like clarity, and on to screaming overdrive. You might say one guitar for all purposes.

All control elements are firmly secured on a circuit board module, ingeniously loaded from the rear of the guitar. And the module is fully shielded from electronic noise or interference and can be interchanged on a moment's notice. Pickups simply plug directly onto the module. We've thoughtfully even provided a recess to hide unsightly cord ends of virtually any type."

A Certificate of Authenticity will be signed and included by Jim Babjak. The original Rickenback hardshell case is also included.

GUITAR BAR is a store located in Hoboken, NJ, and we actually enjoy dealing with humans, so feel free to reach out with any questions. Local pickup and inspection is always OK.